<![CDATA[Jalopnik: television]]> http://tags.jalopnik.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png <![CDATA[Jalopnik: television]]> http://jalopnik.com/tag/television http://jalopnik.com/tag/television <![CDATA[The End Times Are Upon Us: 24 Hours Of LeMons On Good Morning America!]]> Imagine you're a NASCAR exec who has just learned that the 24 Hours Of LeMons is the fastest-growing race series in the world… then you turn on the television and you get this!




Yes, ABC sent Becky Worley and a camera crew to the Goin' For Broken 24 Hours of LeMons at Reno-Fernley Raceway last weekend, and they aired the segment earlier today. The Cheese Eating Surrender Monkeys are there (by the way, their Peugeot beat 5 out of 9 BMW E30s, so I'll be figuring out who won the 505-vs-E30 contest soon), Huey Newis and the Lose are there, and the LeMons Supreme Court is there.

Oh, by the way, Mr. NASCAR exec: the crew of one of your big-name racers nearly won the LeMons South race last month… in a Volkswagen! Stay tuned for more details.
[ABC News]

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<![CDATA[All Right, You Autobot Maggots! Drop And Give Me Twenty Transformations!]]> What would Autobot boot camp be like? Would there be hazing and weird chanting? What's the Transformer equivalent of latrine duty? This scene from Transformers Animated season one (now on DVD) explains everything.

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<![CDATA[Fairlane-Driving Cops Take No Guff From Gibberish-Ass Hippie Dope Fiends]]> What kind of car would a couple of no-nonsense plainclothes Los Angeles cops drive in 1967? Forget those big lumbering full-size sedans! Joe Friday and Bill Gannon insisted on a snappy-looking '67 Fairlane.


Here we see the Fairlane hauling the Dragnet boys from one stinkin' hippie shithole to another, as they attempt to hold back the waves of LSD washing over the City Of Angels. Now, you'd think that an LAPD detective would likely have bounced that freak's painted face off the Fairlane's hood a few times, were said freak to have torn his suit jacket the way Blue Boy did, particularly just a year after Miranda vs. Arizona and two years after the the Watts Riots. After all, it was war, with the forces of anarchy and disorder on one side and the spirit of Chief Parker and Henry Ford on the other!

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<![CDATA[Jalopnik's Top 28 Vintage GM Car Commercials]]> We've shown our favorite Vintage Chevrolet commercials, but what about GM's other car divisions? And we don't just mean Cadillac, Buick, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile; Vauxhall, Holden, and Opel did some great ads as well!


If these get you in a Classic Ad Watch sort of mood, you might enjoy checking out our favorite Super Bowl Car Ads, then keep going with our Top 20 Vintage Datsun ads, Top 20 Vintage Toyota ads, and Top 20 Vintage Chrysler ads. If that's still not enough, you can go to the Top Car Commercials Of The 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. And now, our favorite (non-Chevrolet) vintage General Motors ads from North America, Europe, Australia, and South Africa:

1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire Turbo
1942 Oldsmobile B-44
1991 Oldsmobile Silhouette
1988 Pontiac Grand Am
1956 Oldsmobile 88
1973 Pontiac Grand Am
1968 Pontiac GTO
1970 Pontiac T37
1982 Pontiac 6000
1981 Vauxhall Cavalier
1969 Pontiacs
1985 Pontiac Fiero GT
1990 Geo Tracker
1979 Holdens
1973 Opels
1972 Holden Kingswood
1985 Pontiac Fiero
1971 Oldsmobile Delta 88
1985 Vauxhall Nova
1992 Opels (South Africa)
1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera
1970 Pontiac Firebird
1968 Opel GT
1982 Holden Station Wagons
2001 Pontiac Aztek
1986 Holden Astra
1960 Opel Kapitän
1974 Cadillacs
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<![CDATA[Number 21 Has Escaped!]]> Car-shopping mid-80s Brits who wanted to show the world that they weren't going to let The Man grind them down- just like Number Six showed The Man!- could head right down to their local Renault dealership after watching this ad, because the Renault 21 (sold here in the States as the much-less-than-successful Renault Medallion) gets away!

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<![CDATA[Let's Make A Deal For... A Bricklin!]]> Malcolm Bricklin probably seethed at the description of the Canadian-made Bricklin SV-1 as "America's latest sports car," but the audience for this mid-70s episode of Let's Make A Deal had nothing but oohs and aahs for Monty's announcement of the Cleveland-powered Safety Vehicle One. Thanks to LTDScott for the tip!

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<![CDATA[What It's Like To Have Your Land Rover Shot At]]> The video from these Turkish television reporters shows firsthand what it's like to ride along in a Land Rover Discovery while being shot at. They're not sure exactly who it was attacking them in Georgia (country, not state), but we're thinking these guys are just happy to all get out alive. One of them was even shot in the head (!) but evidently it wasn't life-threatening. Does this count as hoonage? Video after the jump. [CNN]

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<![CDATA[Having No Back Seats Can Be Smart]]> While we know firsthand that you can fit more than two people in a Smart ForTwo, there really isn't enough room in the back to sit comfortably... or hide discreetly. Smart acknowledges this, and sees it as a good thing. After absorbing the scare tactics featured in this banned commercial, we sort of agree.
[via LiveLeak] Hat Tip to Dan!

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<![CDATA[Renault Kangoo: Room For Fat Americans And Their Donuts]]> Remember when Renault announced that they'd made a deal with 20th Century Fox to use characters from The Simpsons to shill the Kangoo minivan? Well, here's the result, which has been floating around the Internet for a while but hasn't landed here yet. It's about as entertaining as a French minivan could be; we're especially impressed with Homer's Donut Belt and the "money" he uses to buy a new Kangoo. What's next, Jodie Foster selling Civics?

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<![CDATA[Put The Kid In The Trunk And The TV In The Backseat]]> People will do some pretty stupid things for a TV, or so we're learning today. First, it was the idiot burglar with the alligator in his Buick Regal and now we have the story of a trio of not-so-bright Tennesseans who really wanted to get a television home. But there were three of them and a television, and not all of them could fit in the passenger area of their Toyota Corolla. Their solution? Put the kid in the trunk and the television in the backseat. They'd have gotten away with it, too, but someone called the cops after seeing the kid, who apparently consented, get into the trunk.

Everyone was okay, but the man and woman who were lucky enough to sit inside the car were arrested over what looks like a shitty television anyways. If only these idiots read books. Oh well, at least the sheriff seemed to get a good laugh out of it. Bonnie and Cylde were actually ratted out by a relative who saw the event unfolding. If that may seem cold just remember that most people in Tennessee are related. [WSMV]

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<![CDATA[We Woke Up This Morning, Found Sopranos Cars To Be Auctioned Off]]> Barrett-Jackson will be auctioning off eight vehicles from The Sopranos March 26 through March 30 in West Palm Beach, Fla. These are the same cars that Tony and his gang of mobsters regularly did their dirty deeds. The highlighted car is Tony Soprano's 2003 Cadillac Escalade that was driven in the final three seasons of the series. It has only 11,000 miles and the driver-side seat is likely well-broken in. Check out the rest of the cars after the jump.

My personal favorite car being auctioned is Paulie Walnuts' 2003 Cadillac CTS. Yes, this is the same CTS that he used to do donuts in and destroy Christopher Moltisanti's front yard during season six.

Also in the auction is a 1997 Mercury Villager minivan driven by Tony and Paulie as well as a black Cadillac Deville driven by Vito Spatafore. Also a pair of blue Lincoln Town Cars used by Phil Leotardo and the Lupertazzi family will be sold as a pair.

Oddly enough, all of the proceeds from the auction will benefit the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. I would think a stripper rehabilitation or maybe a gun buyback program would be better programs for the proceeds. Bada bing!

VEHICLES FROM HBO'S "THE SOPRANOS" TO HIT THE BLOCK AT BARRETT-JACKSON PALM BEACH

Net Proceeds from "The Sopranos" Cars to Benefit Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., February 28, 2008 - Cars and SUVs driven by the famous TV mobsters on "The Sopranos" will be sold at No Reserve during the 6th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event on March 26-30, 2008, in West Palm Beach, Fla. A total of eight vehicles from the award winning HBO series will cross the block, led by Tony Soprano's 2003 Cadillac Escalade ESV, with net proceeds benefiting Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. SPEED will once again bring the action home with 19 hours of TV coverage during the auction as approximately 600 of the finest collector vehicles are sold at No Reserve. For the sixth consecutive year, the event will take place at the spacious Americraft Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds, located at 9067 Southern Boulevard in West Palm Beach.

"From the biggest show on television to the biggest stage in the collector car industry, these movie star vehicles will demand the spotlight in Palm Beach," said Craig Jackson, Chairman/CEO of the Barrett-Jackson Auction Company. "A staple in American pop culture, 'The Sopranos' captured the attention of viewers across the globe, much like Barrett-Jackson events are watched by devoted car enthusiasts worldwide on SPEED. We're thrilled to join forces with HBO for this special project to help raise funds for Childrens Hospital Los Angeles."

The signature piece of "The Sopranos" collection is the white 2003 Cadillac Escalade driven by mob boss Tony Soprano during the final three seasons of the series. Scheduled for sale during SPEED's primetime coverage on Saturday, March 29, the fully loaded Escalade has only 11,000 miles on the odometer and features clear, untinted windshields for exterior camera shots of the show's leading character.

Another high-profile car headed to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach is the champagne 2003 Cadillac CTS utilized by one of Tony's top soldiers, Paulie Walnuts. The CTS is infamous for its demolition of Christopher Moltisanti's new front yard in the "Kennedy and Heidi" episode during Season 6. Two more vehicles that played key roles in Season 6, a red 1997 Mercury Villager minivan driven by Tony and Paulie and a black Cadillac Deville driven by crew member Vito Spatafore, will also be sold.

"When a TV series becomes as popular as 'The Sopranos,' the cars driven by the larger-than-life characters become stars as well," added Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. "Another factor that adds to the value of these celebrity vehicles is the 'staying power' of the series. Decades from now, 'The Sopranos' will still be appreciated as one of the top series in TV history, making these star cars significant well into the future."

A pair of blue Lincoln Town Cars, utilized by rival gangster Phil Leotardo and the New York-based Lupertazzi crime family, will be sold as a pair in Palm Beach. The two cars were featured in numerous episodes of "The Sopranos," most notably in the climactic Bada Bing shootout scene in "The Blue Comet" episode during Season 6. Additional cars from that high-energy scene that will be auctioned include two 1993 Cadillacs driven by Patsy Parisi, which will be sold together.

With net proceeds benefiting Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, "The Sopranos" vehicles will join a long list of cars in Palm Beach that will be auctioned for charity. On March 26, Barrett-Jackson will host their annual Opening Night Gala to raise money for The Darrell Gwynn Foundation and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. During the 2007 Palm Beach event, Barrett-Jackson raised over $500,000 for various charities.

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<![CDATA[The Other Semi-Sentient Television Automobile]]> With all this talk of the new Knight Rider television movie, I think we've all forgotten that before K.I.T.T. there was another grand talking car on television. It was part Model T, Maxwell, Hudson and Chevrolet and powered by a 283 cubic inch Chevy V8. It also contains the soul of Jerry Van Dyke's deceased mother.

While My Mother The Car may have been cancelled after just one season, and though many people consider it one of the worst shows every created, it's hard to ignore the influence of the show. Besides Knight Rider, which can be said to borrow the concept, one of the show's writers was James L. Brooks, who went on to produce The Simpsons and direct Terms of Endearment and Broadcast News. Bet you didn't know that. [Wikipedia]

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<![CDATA[Ein Mann und Ein Auto? Nein! Team Knight Rider!]]> With all this frenzy surrounding the new Knight Rider series, some folks forget about the 1997 spinoff series: Team Knight Rider! This show didn't have just one sentient vehicle- oh, no, apparently an entire assembly line was cranking out self-aware Fords. Yes, Fords! And since the show was so good, it was promptly dubbed for export to eager audiences across Germany. Who knows, perhaps a fleet of such cars could start reproducing themselves, leading to a Gray Goo crisis, in which all of the planet's matter would be converted into talking Expeditions.

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<![CDATA[Ex Soap Star To Play Son of Michael Knight]]> NBC has announced that former All My Children star Justin Bruening will play the son of Michael Knight, the protagonist (well, other than KITT), in the NBC Knight Rider made-for-tv movie, which could well be the pilot of a new television show. As we all remember, the original KITT was a pretty awesome Trans-Am. The new KITT hasn't been announced, but we're sure many automakers are licking their chops to get in on that action. Before we all get up in arms about the soap star playing our childhood hero, we'd remind you that David Hasselhoff starred in The Young and the Restless before getting his break as Michael Knight. [E! Online]

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<![CDATA[Top Gear to Burn Oil in BMW at Silverstone]]> Rumor has it the Top Gear crew will be burning up some of their homemade biodiesel brew at the upcoming Britcar 24-hour race at Silverstone, September 7th through 9th. Race entry records have Clarkson, the Hamster, James and the Stig entered in a diesel BMW 330 Dti Sport with a number 78 on it. Hilarity will no doubt ensue.
[Image courtesy of the discussion of this upcoming event from the Final Gear forums]

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<![CDATA[Top Gear UK Is Coming To BBC America!]]> It looks like the world's highest production cost car show, Top Gear, is coming to America. BBC America that is. That's right — Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May won't just be stopping by to hoon around a bit like they did last time, instead it looks as though they'll be coming stateside to a local cable operator near you — at least according to the BBC America site. They're showing off air times starting on August 20th with "Episode 1." No idea what season that means they'll be showing although the Top Gear BBC America page does show the guests for this season include "Ewan McGregor, Ray Winstone, and Sir Michael Gambon as well as celebrity chefs Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver."
UPDATE: We've spoken with a person at BBC America who tells us that yes, this is official — BBC America will be airing Top Gear UK starting August 20th! [BBC America]

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<![CDATA[Bob Barker's Last Car Can Be Yours!]]> According to the seller, this 2007 Cadillac XLR is the very last car ever given away by Bob Barker on The Price Is Right, on the episode that aired on June 15th. Let's say you already have some other historically significant cars- say, the 1910 Gräf & Stift in which Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated- and you need to add this incredibly important vehicle to your stable. In that case, you have no choice but to get busy bidding on this 90-mile XLR... which has a starting bid price of 65 Gs (and a reserve that you'll just have to guess). Oh yeah, the car they had on the show itself was black, so you'd need to whip out the paperwork from CBS to prove to skeptics that Bob really did (sorta) give this very car away. [eBay]

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<![CDATA[GTO vs. GTS]]> Thomas Magnum takes on a pair of armed yahoos in a Goat and winds up ending the chase in a most unfortunate manner. Neither the Fezza nor the Poncho are injured, but fans of Mk. 1 Golf/Rabbits may want to avert their eyes.

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<![CDATA[Top Gear Once Again Under Eco-Fire]]> Jezza, Der Kapitan der Nicht Schnell Ist and Doctor Teeth are once again in trouble with environmentalists for racing to the North Pole. Clarkson and May drove cold-weather outfitted Toyota Hiluxes, while Hammond hitched himself up to a team of sled dogs. Greenpeace, however, was far from pleased at the competition, once again spewing vitriol at Clarkson and blaming the BBC for destroying the environment. Interestingly, the notoriously outspoken lead presenter has yet to issue a comment, but we imagine he'll have a lot to say on the occasion of the show's airing. As a side note, Spinelli talks about the trek here. [Daily Express, UK]

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<![CDATA[Alka-Seltzer To The Rescue!]]>

Team Knight Rider debuted back when we were in college, and watching this clip reminds us why we never bothered to stick with it beyond one episode. On the other hand, the above segemnt does feature a water-powered Bricklin (a Bricklin!) — creatively-named Hydro 2000 — that like a seagull, can be handily disabled with the addition of fizzy stomach-calming tablets.

Related:
KITT vs. Airwolf! [Internal]

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